17 [The key to the interpretation of this book, as to much of the book of Job, is found in the brief expostulation of Jeremiah (chap. xii. 1), where he confesses his inability to comprehend the world and God's ways therein, yet utters a profession of unshaken confidence in His goodness. Here Solomon, in monologue, gives vent to similar misgivings; overruling all in the wonderful ode with which the book concludes. I say Solomon, not unadvisedly.]

18 sukofantiwn.

19 The text is, bia katablhme/noi tw=n e0pamuno/ntwn h# o#lwj papauqhsome/nwn au0tou\j pantaxo/qen katexou/shj a0pori/aj. The sense is not clear. It may be: who are struck down in spite of those who protect them, and who should by all means comfort them when all manner of trouble presses them on all sides.

27 Jerome cites the passage in his Commentary on Ecclesiastes [iv. 12].

28 Tou\j o#soi progene/steroi. The sense is incomplete, and some words seem missing in the text. Jerome, in rendering this passage in his Commentary on Ecclesiastes, turns it thus: ita autem ut sub sene rege versati sint; either having lighted on a better manuscript, or adding something of his own authority to make out the meaning.

29 dia to\ e/terou a0peira/tej e#xein.

30 eu0staqou/sh.

31 e0n th= peri\ lo/gouj spoudh|=.

32 a0ndrei/ouj.

33 kaqora=n.

34 Job xx. 20.

35 Job i. 21; 1 Tim. vi. 7.

36 arpaktika/ in the text, for which the Cod. Medic. has a9rpakta/.

37 e\nqumou/menoj.

38 qanaton pei=ran ou0 labw/n, for which we must read probably qana/tou, etc.

39 The text gives, h#per tw|= ponhrw|=...a0nametrhsamenw| a0gaqothta mh\ e0pignw|, for which we may read either h#per tw|= ponhrw|=...anametrhsa/menoj...e0pignw|=, or better,...a0nametrhsamenw|...e0pignw=nai.

40 e0cisthai.

41 tou= o0fqh=nai.

42 Prov. xxii. 1.

43 katorqou=tai.

44 Calumny, sukofanti/a.

45 e#nstasin.

46 lo/gwn de/, etc. But Cod. Medic. reads, lo/gon de/, etc.,=it is right to commend a speech not in its beginning, but in its end.

54 kate/xei h# ei0. This use of h# ei0 is characteristic of Gregory Thaumaturgus. We find it again in his Panegyr. ad Orig., ch. 6, h# ei kai\ para\ pa/ntaj, etc. It may be added, therefore, to the proofs in support of a common authorship for these two writings.

55 e0po/pthn.

56 swfrosu/nhn.

57 [Our English version gives no such idea, nor does that of the LXX. The swfrosu/nh of our author is discretion, or perhaps entire balance of mind. Wordsworth gives us the thought better in his verse: "A perfect woman, nobly planned." It was not in Judaism to give woman her place: the Magnificat of the Virgin celebrated the restoration of her sex.]

58 Upright, a9ploi=.

59 e0pispw=ntai.

60 li/an.

61 yuxh/n.

62 pro/noia.

63 ilaskomenou.

64 The text gives, ka9kei/nhn de\ matai/wj, etc.

65 ka#n polloi=j katafro/nhtoj h|[; so the Cod. Bodleian. and the Cod. Medic. read. But others read polu/ = an object of great contempt. For katafro/nhtoj the Cod. Medic. reads eu0katafro/nhtoj.

77 The text is, kai\ th=j di' udatoj zwh=j parodeu/santoj tou= loutrofo/rou ai0w=noj. Billius understands the age to be called loutrofo/rou, because, as long as we are in life, it is possible to obtain remission for any sin, or as referring to the rite of baptism.